Lamont warned she risks alienating key voters

Wednesday 3 October 2012

Labour MPs have expressed concerns over Johann Lamont's public spending review, warning it could alienate the middle classes the party needs to win back.

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Kate Devlin and Michael Settle

Party figures have also complained of a "chaotic" presentation of the plan.

It came as Ms Lamont used her speech at Labour's annual conference in Manchester to contrast what she argued was Scottish Labour's honesty on the issue with the SNP.

Last week, the Scottish Labour leader criticised policies which she said resulted in rich people getting free tuition fees and prescriptions and questioned the council tax freeze.But some Labour MPs have expressed concerns over the issue of council tax, warning it looked like the party was attacking working families.One said: "It's a shambles. On the one hand the party says it wants to end the 'something for nothing' culture, and on the other it looks like we are attacking the middle classes, the ones paying income and council tax."He said increasing council tax would hit those earning £30,000 to £40,000 a year, including teachers, police officers and those in middle management, that the party should be wooing back from the SNP.He also complained MPs and MSPs have not been given a detailed briefing on the plans. He said: "Its chaotic, nobody knows what the message is."Another Labour MP warned of a "disconnect" between how the party leadership appeared to view council tax and how ordinary voters did that could cost the party crucial votes. Ms Lamont has hinted the party could use Scotland's new tax powers to pay for public services. She told Labour's conference: "I won't wait until after the referendum to be honest with the people of Scotland. We need an honest debate now about how we protect the most vulnerable from the cuts."However, a spokesman for Ms Lamont said that while households were saving £3 a week on their council tax they could be losing much more through cuts to services. He added: "If people are getting twitchy that we are advocating a rise in council tax, they are getting the wrong end of the stick." Meanwhile, the Conservatives have called on the Scottish Government to provide a 10-year projection of the cost of universal entitlements.The call came as MSPs prepared to debate Labour's proposal to limit some benefits which it says help the better-off while spending is squeezed.

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Local government

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Lamont warned she risks alienating key voters

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